The true meaning of Christmas can vary depending on individual beliefs and cultural interpretations. For many people, Christmas is a Christian religious holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time for Christians to reflect on the significance of Jesus’ birth and the message of peace and goodwill that is associated with his life.

However, Christmas has also become a widely celebrated cultural and secular holiday in many parts of the world. For many people, it is a time for family gatherings, gift-giving, acts of kindness, and spreading joy. It often involves traditions such as decorating Christmas trees, exchanging presents, and sharing festive meals.

In essence, the true meaning of Christmas is subjective and can be deeply personal. For some, it is a religious observance, while for others, it is a time for expressing love, generosity, and kindness. Ultimately, the meaning of Christmas is shaped by the values and beliefs of the individuals and communities celebrating it.

Jonathan Manafo talks about the true meaning of Christmas.

Jonathan Manafo is The Village pastor. He is a husband, a father, a friend, a neighbor, and a follower of Jesus. He hopes that every day he’s a little better at it than the day before. He loves his family, his community, and God’s world.

Jonathan, please tell my audience a little about you.

I am a husband, a dad, a neighbor, a pastor, a musician, a writer, and hopefully a good friend. I love spending time with the people I love. I write and play music, it’s a long-time passion of mine. I enjoy golf, cycling, and sports of all kinds. When it’s all said and done, may others simply see me as a person who loved, who gave, and who lived a full life. 

Why did you decide to become a minister?

I didn’t choose…it chose me. In my mid to late teen years, I felt God might be leading me to at least prepare to be in pastoral ministry. (Note the difference, we all have some way to minister and serve, mine happens to be pastoring, among other things). I was accepted into a linguistics program at Concordia University. I was 100 students away from registering for my first set of classes and just knew I had to do something else. I left the line and began thinking about how I would go about this vocational calling in my life. Becoming a pastor was always gradual for me. Always felt like if God wanted to use me in this way, opportunities would arise. They did, I walked into them, and here we are, over 20 years later.

Share a little about the village and what you want to accomplish.

The Village is a church community in Whitby that is discovering what it means to love God, love others, and make the world better. We started 6 years ago with a hand full of people. We are now well over 100. We simply want to be a fresh expression of the local church where people who need to discover Jesus can do so alongside other people who are discovering Jesus. The Village wants to be connected in our communities – helping, loving, being present and being Jesus. I feel at home in my church community. Being part of a church like The Village makes me better.

During Xmas, we focus on shopping, stress about meeting people, and all these expectations. Explain what it is all about and the true meaning of Christmas.

I think we all know that Christmas is more than gifts, spending, and hectic schedules. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being generous with your family, friends, and especially those in need. Let’s keep this party going. However, we do get caught up in what becomes a rat race, when we forget that Christmas, specifically, Advent, is about waiting patiently for God to arrive on the scene.  If we would simply incorporate Advent into Christmas, we would have a better perspective of things. Why? Advent slows us down. It makes us think. We learn to wait. We learn to stay present. And if we slow down just enough, we will then be able to appreciate what this season is really about – Jesus, the God, moving into our neighborhood (s).

Please challenge my audience to do something completely different this year during the month of Christmas.

Well. Since you asked. Don’t spend any money on yourself. That’s a good start. If you are in the habit of giving gifts, look for things in your house that you can give away so the gifts that come in are at least replacing what you had and not adding to what you don’t need. One line that may help us think differently is, “less presents – more presence”

I would challenge you (if you’re not already part of a church community) to look for a local church to attend during December. Not just a one-off Christmas Eve service, but two to three gatherings in December. The only way that your personal Christmas story can become more meaningful is if you make time to experience THE Christmas story. If you’re not into Christianity, that’s okay, use it as a learning experience. It’s so worth a try.

I know Italians love food. What are your favorite dishes and how important is food in living a balanced life?

I sing The Beetle’s song, ‘8 days a week…I love you’ when it comes to pasta :). I honestly just love food. Food that is made well. If it’s been cooked and prepared well and with passion, I love it. I will spend more on food if it’s good and healthy, rather than save a few bucks to eat bad food (i.e. fast food or junk food). Life is too short to eat bad food. Now, I understand that life is not always that simple, and some people can’t afford to eat well. But we should all do the best we can, within our means, to eat healthily, and enjoy the food we do eat.

I also want to say that food is very communal. It brings people together. We get together over drinks and food. Don’t take those moments for granted, with your family or with your friends and neighbors.

Give me three tips on being a good father and on being a good husband.

First, I’m becoming a father and husband. What I mean by that is I’m hopefully better than I was, but I have lots to learn. Two, tell your kids and your spouse that you love them. In-person, via text, any way possible. If they hear it and know it from you, they will never feel like seeking it elsewhere. Three, balance providing (working hard) with pleasure (time well spent). It’s very honorable to provide for your family. Work as hard as you can to make a living and save for the future. However, know how to rest, how to stop, and how to simply be together.

You have been a minister for a long time, what have you learned about human behavior?

We are all broken. We all need a community. We all need grace.

How do you balance food faith family and finance in this busy world?

I already talked about food ;). Faith is so important – it is a reference point that is the opposite of your human selfishness. For me of course, my faith in Jesus. The family is your closest neighbor. Love them as you love yourself. If you steward your money well, you’ll have enough to live, give, play, and plan. Lots to say on this, but I’ll quote a well-known equation, 100% of your money should at least be divided like this, 10% give, 10% save, 80% live. If you can start there and increase the 10% part incrementally, you’ll be happier, more satisfied, less fearful, and very content.

Lastly, tell me a good minister joke.

They did a survey with Young Adults. They were asked to share what three topics they were most interested in hearing about at church. The top three answers were: SEX, END TIMES, and WILL THERE BE SEX IN THE END TIMES.

Jesus had to have been Italian. His dad was a carpenter, he lived at home until he was 30, and his mother thought he was God.

Photo Credits: Dan Kiefer Vidar Nordli-Mathisen  Gareth Harper Gian Reichmuth Anthony DELANOIX Carolyn V Spencer Davis

The post The True Meaning of Christmas: Less Presents – More Presence appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

December is known as the birthday of Jesus Christ. We know it as Christmas.

However, there is more to Christmas than gifts under the tree, shopping, lights on the tree and outside the home, spending time with friends and family, snow outside, stockings all over the home, singing carols, turkey dinners, and wishing people ‘Merry Christmas’.

It can also be a stressful time for many people who do not have family or friends or funds to buy gifts. Christmas is a time to be joyful, heal, and renew our strength.  The star shone brightly over Bethlehem.

I talk to Lauren, who runs a blog called Mindful of Christ, to find out about the Christian faith and Christmas.

Lauren is the mum of two beautiful children. She recently completed a BA Hons in Health and social care and also has a diploma in CBT. Lauren became a born-again Christian in 2004. She is transparent about her ups and downs with mental health, depression, anxiety, and self-harm. But God helped her with these and she has learned to refocus from the negative and towards Christ. She practices being mindful of Him, thus the name of her blog ‘Mindful of Christ’. She is the author of ‘Christian-based Cognitive Behavioural therapy.’ She is also a Coach; helping people recognize & overcome limiting beliefs & negative mindsets and helps them grow in their relationships with Christ & themselves and find their God-given purpose & begin on this journey.

Lauren, I want to know something unique about you?

I went paragliding for my 18th birthday, it was amazing!

Walk me through what attracted you to English literature? What does writing do for you?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. As a child, I loved to write stories and poetry. Then three years ago, God asked me to begin this writing journey, with blogging.

Writing is extremely therapeutic, I love expressing myself and being guided by God in what I’m writing, in order to encourage, inspire and uplift others.

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What would Christmas be without traditions and gifts?

It has taken nearly a decade for the Christmas tree in front of the house to grow up. I look forward to putting ornaments and lights on it. I look forward to spending time with family and friends and playing catch-up. It is also a time to reflect on our own life.

Four Columns believes in getting views of women from across the world.

Nora Breyer from Austria the creator of Vividly Christmas talks about Christmas traditions and gifts.

Nora tell me a little about you and what is Vividly Christmas all about? 

My name is Nora, born in the 80s; I am married and have a wonderful daughter. I work part-time at the hospital as a radiology technologist at the nuclear medicine department. I have been blogging on the side for three years. I started with my Christmas food and crafts blog Vividly Christmas, in February 2021, so it is still a very young blog. It was created out of my enthusiasm for Christmas and the decorating, baking, and cooking that goes with it. And it gives me an insane joy to write it. 

For me, Christmas has always been the most beautiful time of the year. The baking, crafting, cooking, and decorating, always brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. During the annual cookie baking with my grandmother, I learned a lot and inherited many recipes.

Christmas itself, the time that is the most hectic of the year for many people, fills me with peace and contentment. I can switch off so wonderfully when baking and cooking, and thanks to the blog, I can now do that all year round. (Even if it is only part-time.) 

Talk to me about what Christmas is all about and why it is important to have traditions? 

It’s winter; as nature rests, I try to de-stress this time at the end of the year. For me, Christmas is a time of reflection and joy. To be a lot outdoors in the cold, breathe in the wonderful cold air, and then rest in the warm room with coffee, tea, or mulled wine, beautiful Christmas music, and wonderful homemade delicacies. 

But, to have this serenity, in this time and to be able to preserve, it needs, in my eyes, a good preparation. For example, appointments that still have to be done this year will be completed by the end of November at the latest. As far as possible, to carry out the Christmas preparations until the end of November, to keep December as a contemplative time free. To then have time to do the things that make you happy. 

Christmas, the festival itself, which is celebrated in Austria on 24.12., is for me a celebration with the closest family. The holidays afterward are then in a larger family circle.

Traditions create lovely memories, and the anticipation of them is almost as incredible as the tradition itself. I also think it’s a beautiful thing to be able to pass these traditions on to future generations. 

For example, I inherited the annual cookie baking tradition from my grandmother. 

Since my daughter was born, my husband and I started the annual Christmas photoshoot as a tradition. 

A tradition I have taken over from my mother is that we create a different Christmas menu every year, and months before, we think about what delicious food we will cook this year. 

Let’s see what traditions my daughter might adopt and which she develops herself? I am already very excited!

Let us talk about gifts. Walk me through some of the gifts for mom, dad, brother, sister, and our spouses? 

Tastes are so different, and what gives pleasure to one may not be liked by the other! It is also best to listen to your heart and be attentive to your loved ones here. 

If it should be difficult with the gifting and not stand there entirely without a plan, my husband and I have a shared Google spreadsheet that we use for our wishes. We enter what we like throughout the year, and we can always fall back on this list if all else fails. In this sheet, we also have a tab for our daughter and the grandparents. When they tell us about stuff they adore, we add them to the list and then have it a little easier for gift planning. 

Should we call our family and say let us give gifts only for the kids and for a certain amount? 

We have here among the adults the agreement, one gift per person. For example, my husband gets one gift from me, one from his mother, and one from his mother-in-law. So in total three. And so it counts for all of us.

Why are cards such an important part of Christmas? 

The thing I love about Christmas cards is that they are so long-lasting. They are a wonderful reminder of past celebrations. For example, I have a box where I keep all my Christmas cards. From time to time, I pick up this box and look through the cards, which brings back such beautiful memories of the celebrations and events that it is an absolute joy! 

Help me understand what are some of the things we can write to encourage people? 

Of course, it depends on the person to whom the encouragement should go and what you should encourage him or her for. But in principle, it is about emphasizing the wonderful things that make up this person, his/her strengths and wonderful qualities. To show the person what a wonderful, unique person he/she is so that he/she emerges built up and strengthened by these words. 

Are there big no-nos of gifts? 

As long as the gift comes from the heart and you think about what makes the other person happy, then you have done a great job. 

What are some of the ways we can de-stress during the holidays? 

As I mentioned before, I think you should start de-stressing as early as the beginning of December. You will get much more out of the wonderful winter and Advent season and be perfectly prepared for the Christmas holidays to enjoy them to the fullest. 

Talk to me about what woman empowerment means to you? 

In principle, just like men, women have the same right to decide about themselves – to have the same rights and duties as men. To be treated equally, be it in terms of opportunities, payment, education, etc. For example, men should also have the same possibilities as women to be at home with their children because that is not yet the case. 

As long as there is a big difference in salary between men and women in the same job, women (if they want to) will not have the opportunity to pursue their career and men (if they want to) will not have the opportunity to be at home with their children. 

This is one example, and of those, there are many others where there is no equality. And as long as such things are not clarified, one still cannot speak of equality. We women have come a long way to have an equal right as men. Nevertheless, the goal has not yet been reached. So we have to keep on fighting for equal rights. 

The post Christmas Traditions & Gifts appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

What is Advent?

Advent is derived from adventus which in Latin means ‘visit’ or ‘coming’ of something very important. Christians focus on the advent of Christ when He was born in Bethlehem and the second that is yet to come.

Advent Calendar

The start of Advent is exactly four Sundays before Christmas and it ends on Christmas Eve. Christmas starts on Christmas Eve and ends on January 6^th.

The themes of advent

Advent has purple, dark blue, and pink themes attached to it. The purple or dark blue represents royalty, nobility, repentance, and seriousness. Jesus was of royal lineage from the house of King David. Joy is a small motif in Advent and is represented by pink. Red, green, white, silver, and gold are linked with Christmas and the weeks leading up to it. White represents holiness, joy, and light and is the correct liturgical color for Christmas.

For Christians who follow Advent, the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent are purple and blue Sundays. The third week is pink Sunday. The jubilant color of pink is a reminder that Advent makes Christians eager for Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to us the first time in the flesh.

Christmas is the celebration of the humble birth of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary in a barn in Bethlehem.  The angel appears to the astrologers and tells them to visit the newborn king. They bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts. Therefore, at Christmas in churches, you will see a barn, with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus in a cradle, animals, and the three wise men. On top of the Christmas tree is a star. The angel that appeared to the wise men told them to follow the star and that will lead them to Jesus.

The time-honored customs of Christmas that include feasting, lights, mistletoe, giving gifts, and the Christmas tree have no biblical roots and are secular. Santa Claus comes from Saint Nicholas of Myra, in Greece who was known for his generosity towards the poor people.

The look of Santa Claus comes from Germanic folklore and Scandinavian religions that existed in Northern Europe. The Dutch pilgrims who came to the United States in the seventeenth century brought Sinter Klaas the Dutch legend and this became the American version of Santa Claus. Americans adopted this concept into Santa Claus, who comes from the North Pole on a sleigh and gives gifts to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve.

For Christians, Christmas embodies the spirit of giving. It is a time to celebrate with family, and friends and to give money and time to charities.

Advent Wreath

The artifact that represents Advent is a wreath. It is a circle of evergreens. There is one white candle in the middle, surrounded by four candles, three purple, and one pink. The wreath is in the shape of a circle that reminds Christians about the unconditional love of God and his endless mercy. Hope is represented by the greenery of the evergreens.

Advent Candles

The purple candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sunday. The pink is lit on the third Sunday. The white is lit on Christmas Day. Once the candle is lit, then certain scripture is read from the bible about the coming Messiah. The previous candles are also lit. So, on Christmas Day all five candles are lit.

Origin of Advent

The historical origin of Advent is from the fourth century. The Bishop of Turin in 415 AD and the Bishop of Arles in 502 AD mention preparation for the birthday of Jesus Christ. It became official when a synod was held in 581 AD at Macon in France. The synod proclaimed five Sundays but was reduced to four Sundays by Pope Gregory VII. Various synods came later regarding rules and regulations and the final one restricted the celebration of marriage during this time. In 1720 AD at the council of the Ruthenians, a fast was ordered for Advent.

Christmas

Christmas is Christians celebrating the all-powerful enigma of God coming to earth in human flesh.  God becomes a man and dies to save mankind from sin and death. Christmas is twelve days to focus on how Jesus Christ revealed Himself to mankind.

December 26^th, 27^th, and 28^th are called witness days. In Acts 7:54-60 St. Stephen is the first Christian Martyr. He was stoned by a crowd. December 26th is in honor of St. Stephen. December 27th honors St. John who was an Apostle and Evangelist and who wrote the Book of St. John in the Bible. John was the closest friend of Jesus and the disciple who was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the book of John. December 28th is in memory of the baby boys killed by King Herod in his endeavor to kill Baby Jesus.

The three do not have anything in common but help Christians understand Christmas better. St. Stephen died willingly to defend and preach the gospel.  Apostle John endured hardship, exile, and persecution because of the gospel. Innocent kids were killed by King Herod. These three days remind Christians that we live in a broken and sinful world. Christ was born to save mankind. He suffered, was crucified on the cross, and died for the sins of mankind. It is also a stark reminder of how powerful and dark Satan is.

The Eighth Day of Christmas is a tribute to the circumcision of Jesus Christ as per Jewish law. It is at the circumcision that he is given the name of Jesus formally. This is important for two reasons. In the Book of Genesis 17: 1-13, circumcision is a clear sign of God’s promise to Abraham and his progeny. When the flesh is cut and blood is spilled it is a prediction of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The second is in Matthew 1:20-21 where the angel tells Mary that her son will ‘save people from their sin’.

The birth of Jesus is mentioned in two of the gospels and by the 4^th century was celebrated on December 25 in the Julian calendar and January 6^th as per the Gregorian calendar.

Photo Credits:  Waldemar Brandt Vidar Nordli-Mathisen Julian Hochgesang  Kelly Sikkema Debby Hudson Carolyn V Jon Tyson Mateus Campos Felipe  Sandra Grünewald  Gian Reichmuth Max Beck Dan Kiefer Nine Köpfer  Ben White Jude Beck  Aaron Burden

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